MONTGOMERY TWP — An extra $2.2 million is now in the bank, and will be used to help Montgomery Township pay ahead on several projects upcoming during the course of this year.

A transfer of that year-end 2013 surplus will help tackle a stormwater pipe, road repairs, and go toward construction of the township’s planned community center, according to township Finance Director Shannon Drosnock.

“This balance allows us to continue to adhere to our fund balance policy of keeping a minimum of ten to 20 percent of general fund expenditures,” Drosnock said.

Higher than expected revenues from several sources, most notably by earned income and real estate transfer taxes, produced total revenues in 2013 of $13.1 million, well above the $11.4 million the township had budgeted. Expenses were held 4.6 percent budget, with all township departments combining to spend a total of $10.2 million instead of the expected $10.7 million, thus the surplus, Drosnock told the board.

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“Overall township reserves are up 15.2 percent over budget, by a total of approximately $1.7 million, led by earned income and real estate transfer tax” revenue figures of $10.9 million by year end, well above the $9.5 million budgeted, she said. Other revenue sources that came in above budget include $1.268 million in permit and license revenues, up from an expected $1.14 million; and $982,000 in other sources largely consisting of state aid, up from an expected $750,900.

The board motion she proposed and the supervisors approved unanimously sends that surplus into several township funds, to be spent in 2014 and beyond: $800,000 goes into the construction reserve for the planned township community center, $490,000 to the 16-year road replacement program; $400,000 for replacing stormwater pipes on Winter Drive; $260,000 for equipment replacement and $50,000 into reserves for future stormwater pipe replacement, according to Drosnock.

The township’s coffers got a separate boost Monday night, when resident Richard Roller presented a check for $56,301.58 in state grant money based on the total tonnage that Montgomery’s residents and businesses recycle. According to Roller, acting as Montgomery’s representative in the Northern Montgomery County Recycling Commission, the state Department of Environmental Protection has decided to withhold “40 percent of all of the grants throughout the state for some reason, we’re trying to find out why,” and the total earned by the township should end closer to $93,000 once all funds are disbursed.

The board also approved several expenditures included in the 2014 budget. Police Chief Scott Bendig presented quotes for two new Dodge Charger patrol cars, to replace Ford police interceptors from model years 2003 and 2010. According to Bendig, the 2003 vehicle has over 86,000 miles and the 2010 has over 99,000, and the quote from Lansdale Auto Group under the state COSTARS cooperative purchase system came in just over $51,000, well below the $66,000 manufacturer’s suggested retail price and the $73,000 included in the township’s 2014 budget.

The board also authorized a contract for the first phase of a forestry management plan to be developed by Doylestown based Timberlink Consulting LLC, meant to identify trees in township parks that could be at risk from the invasive Emerald Ash Borer as it spreads across the country. The first phase of the contract will evaluate Windlestrae Park, the adjacent Zehr Tract, and the Horvath Tract, and future phases of the forestry management plan will tackle other areas including Spring Valley Park, Fellowship Park and other natural areas.

$30,000 was budgeted in 2014 for the overall forestry plan and the first phase will cost $4,000; Supervisor Michael Fox, the board’s liaison to its Parks and Rec committee, said that county and state agencies are already meeting to get the word out to local municipalities about how to address the borer before it gets here.

“This is something we need to get ahead of, because the impact of this could really be devastating,” Fox said.

Other expenditures approved by the board include the purchase of a tractor for the Public Works department, at a price of $79,500 via the state bidding system, which represents savings of $25,500 from the dealer list price and meets the price included in the 2014 budget, according to Public Works Director Kevin Costello.

The board also voted to amend its purchasing policy to raise the minimum dollar amounts at which municipalities must put projects out to bid, in accordance with state law. According to Drosnock, the new state requirements for 2014 state that contracts worth more than $19,100 must be advertised twice with competitive formal bidding, up from a previous cap of $18,900; contracts between $10,300 and $19,100 can be given to the lowest bidder of three informal price quotes (up from a price range of $10,200 to $18,900) and contracts below $10,300 do not require advertisement or competitive bidding (up from a previous cap of $10,200).

Montgomery’s supervisors next meet at 8 p.m. on Feb. 10 at the township administration building, 1001 Stump Road. For more information or meeting agendas and materials visit www.MontgomeryTwp.org or follow @Monttwp on Twitter.